Los Angeles (AFP)

The film "Mulan" with an entirely Asian cast is finally launched on Friday on the Disney + streaming platform, a historic release on the small screen that could change the face of Hollywood according to specialists.

The $ 200 million blockbuster should have hit North American theaters in March.

But this live-action version of the eponymous animated film, inspired by Chinese legend Hua Mulan, was one of the first victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

In August, when the reopening of theaters was still uncertain, Disney decided to stream "Mulan" directly to its own on-demand Disney + platform, for a price of $ 30, in addition to the subscription.

It will be released on the big screen next week in China, however, where Disney + is not available.

The move "came as a big shock to many of us," reacted actor Jason Scott Lee, who plays the main "bad guy," saying the film was "made to be seen" on the big screen.

But, after months of postponement, the film "has to stand on its own, we have to let people see it regardless of the format," he said.

Tzi Ma, who is Mulan's father, quickly "considered the positive side" of this poker move.

"With Covid-19, we have more responsibilities and we want everyone to be safe and sound," he told AFP.

The question remains to know how the spectators will welcome this new mode of consumption, which could completely change the way of watching films.

- Emancipation -

She "could be remembered forever and be a turning point for the future of Hollywood," said Jeff Bock, of the specialist company Exhibitor Relations.

Directed by Niki Caro, the film based on a 1,500-year-old Chinese ballad that recounts the exploits of a young girl who disguises herself as a man to take the place of her ailing father in the imperial army, is also historic for its cast. .

All of the actors are Asian or Asian American, a minority still under-represented in Hollywood, especially in big-budget movies.

"It's huge that a big studio trusts an Asian-only team and brings their weight and financial support," said veteran Tzi Ma.

"It should become a benchmark, so the world can see that it is viable," he added.

In 2018, the romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" - with an almost exclusively Asian cast - had already been a huge box office success, however.

"Mulan" also abandons the musical interludes and subplots of the animated film, the New Zealand director preferring a more mature tone and choreographed battle scenes reminiscent of "Tiger and Dragon".

The theme of the emancipation of women is also present, with the physical performances of Chinese star Yifei Liu, and the appearance of a new female villain played by the other star, Gong Li.

The film, however, is not a remake because it "refocuses the story on the ride," according to Tzi Ma.

The film received a positive but cautious reception, with critics praising its scenography and its desire to stand out from the animated film, while particularly regretting the lack of depth of the characters.

© 2020 AFP